Illegal Beavers

The oldest club in the Faculty of Law just happens to be the girls’ and boys' rugby squads (“Law Rugby”). Not only does Law Rugby put on the best parties (Welcome Back, Halloween, Pub Crawl, blah, blah, blah), it also provides a vital service to the general student population … that, my friends, is a little something we refer to as inclusivity!

To be a part of the school’s one true varsity team, it is permissible to have absolutely NO athletic skill whatsoever. That means no tryouts and because the majority of players don’t have any skill either, there is no pressure to perform. Importantly, since we are all in the same boat, there is no expectation that you make it to the two weekly practices or even the games for that matter – 1L is tough and Law Rugby seeks to make your experience enjoyable and manageable.

This club provides the most incredible opportunity at school to have fun, network with practicing lawyers and peers from other schools, meet upper years and most importantly, to let off steam, or, in some cases anger, due to 1L studies.

So, what should you expect if you do decide to play. First, jerseys! We are sponsored by Lawson Lundell and they help keep our costs very low. The season commences with club night and ends with a golf tournament in the spring. Note that most never actually make it onto the golf course ... some players have still yet to be located.

With respect to games, the season will kick off with a road trip in the early fall to Calgary for the Western Law Rugby Championship (UofA, UofC, and possibly UVic). The trip in itself is worth joining the team as the real action takes place off-field. Between the boat races and mingling with girls and guys from other schools, this is one event that you will remember.

Other games include the fall Alumni tournament, which is great as you’ll get to network with practicing lawyers that like you simply because you play rugby. Further, the UVic Slaughter Cup, Justice Championship v VPD (when else do you get to assault Cops), Intrasquad game and Med School Tournament are also planned for the coming season. I assure you that while all games are competitive, it is not scary and the fun that occurs during and after mitigates any bumps, bruises or hurt feelings that may develop on the field.

I encourage you all to seriously consider signing up for Law Rugby at the upcoming Clubs Day. At least try it out. I promise that you won’t be disappointed. You will quickly make friends and find networking opportunities that the general population does not have - and a positive balance between school and social activities. Any practices or games that you need to miss due to studies are totally understood by the team.

If you do not decide to play, I ask that you come out to our games and partake in the fun! Your support will drive us to, who knows, maybe actually winning a game this coming year? Anything is possible with your support. We will keep you posted on relevant dates and times well in advance of our games.

For more information on girls rugby, check out Jessie's awesome blog post or contact the co-chairs, Alex and Jessie, at ubclawwomensrugby@hotmail.com.

For boys rugby, contact our President Jack Finn at jfinn87@hotmail.com.